Asians Around Appalachia: Ethan Liu
- aaajournal25
- Aug 19
- 2 min read
Ethan Liu is a Chinese-American high school senior from Morgantown, West Virginia. At school, he’s involved in a variety of activities including History Bowl, Model UN, and Quiz Bowl. In his free time, he enjoys playing guitar and Fallout: New Vegas.
Interview
Have you ever felt out of place due to your identity? If so, where did you find a sense of community?
I think the fact that Morgantown has a lot of Asians meant that it was easier to fit in for me. When I was younger, some of my peers would make racist gestures or comments towards me but it was never anything too serious. I was able to easily find community amongst the other Asian-Americans in Morgantown.
Can you tell us about one of your stories related to being an AppalAsian? (e.g. household traditions, bullying/harassment, family business, etc.)
The fact that West Virginia is such an unknown place, even within the United States meant that, whenever we would go on vacation, many times my mother would simply say we were from China because it became such a chore to explain to people that first of all, West Virginia is a real place (and different from the western part of Virginia) and secondly, there are Asians who live there.
What is one Appalachian / Asian American related policy issue that’s important to you and why? (e.g. lack of representation, barriers to education/healthcare, economic inequality, etc.)
The fact that West Virginia lawmakers and government officials like Patrick Morrisey continue to support legislation that unfairly targets Chinese people in an effort to discourage immigration. The language of these bills clearly implies that all Chinese people are linked to the CCP in some way and are therefore not welcome in West Virginia.
What is one piece of advice you would give to AppalAsians struggling to fit in?
While it's great to maintain connection to your Asian roots, don't feel like you're obligated to maintain a certain level of "Asian-ness." If you enjoy something, you should do it, even if it's not widely considered an "Asian activity." When other Asians judge you and call you "whitewashed," they're often just insecure about their own identity.
